Sadly, I think it sort of says something about Sony's understanding of it's target customers that these features are even being discussed as if it's "New".
I wasn't even aware you couldn't talk to others on the PSN unless those SPECIFIC conditions were met, nor was I aware that you couldn't play your music while playing a game. I guess that just goes to show how shocking it is that this technology wasn't already available. It's such a basic seeming feature that I didn't even bother noticing it was missing because I never tried to do it under the assumption that it was probably already there anyway.
What I DO think is annoying as hell and one of my BIGGER gripes about Sony's failure to deliver to it's customers simple things are still my two biggest laments about the system:
1. Two YEARS LATER, I STILL can NOT change the color of the test on the dashboard screen. I cannot STRESS how angry this makes me that it remains on that default white, rendering the ability to set any picture as your wallpaper COMPLETELY FREAKING USELESS! No matter what picture I use, there is always that ONE area of white-space that makes it impossible to read what is on the menu. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED YET SONY?!?
2. During DVD's or Videos, I can only either WATCH, or exit to the dashboard. WHY can I NOT access my friend's list while watching a DVD? or the PSN store? Again, a simple function that the "inferior" Xbox can do, but NOT the PS3??
Granted neither of these things are dealbreakers for owning PS3, but all of these little issues combine together to paint me a bigger picture that ME, the current customer, is the LAST thing on Sony's mind right now. They are more concerned with selling NEW units than servicing the loyal fans who already bought one.
